1 1374 159 IMPACT OF AN INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY PROTOCOL ON INSULIN RESISTANCE AND GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. OBJECTIVE: DIABETES MELLITUS (DM), CHARACTERIZED BY CHRONIC HYPERGLYCEMIA, IS ATTRIBUTED TO RELATIVE INSULIN DEFICIENCY OR RESISTANCE, OR BOTH. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT YOGA CAN MODULATE PARAMETERS OF INSULIN RESISTANCE. THE PRESENT STUDY EXPLORED THE POSSIBLE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY WITH REFERENCE TO GLYCEMIC CONTROL AND INSULIN RESISTANCE (IR) IN INDIVIDUALS WITH DIABETES MAINTAINED ON STANDARD ORAL MEDICAL CARE WITH YOGA THERAPY, COMPARED TO THOSE ON STANDARD ORAL MEDICAL CARE ALONE. METHODS: IN THIS STUDY, THE SUBJECTS ON YOGA INTERVENTION COMPRISED 35 TYPE 2 DIABETICS, AND AN EQUAL NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS CONSTITUTED THE CONTROL GROUP. SUBJECTS RANGED IN AGE FROM 30 TO 70 YEARS, WITH HEMOGLOBIN A1C (HBA1C) TEST MORE THAN 7%, AND WERE MAINTAINED ON DIABETIC DIET AND ORAL HYPOGLYCEMIC AGENTS. BLOOD SAMPLES WERE DRAWN PRIOR TO AND AFTER 120 DAYS OF INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY INTERVENTION. FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE (FBG), POST-PRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE (PPBG), HBA1C, INSULIN, AND LIPID PROFILE WERE ASSESSED IN BOTH THE INTERVENTION AND CONTROL GROUPS. RESULTS: THE INTERVENTION GROUP REVEALED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) (0.7 KG/M(2) MEDIAN DECREASE; P=0.001), FBG (20 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P<0.001), PPBG (33 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P<0.001), HBA1C (0.4% MEDIAN DECREASE; P<0.001), HOMEOSTATIC MODEL ASSESSMENT FOR INSULIN RESISTANCE (HOMA-IR) (1.2 MEDIAN DECREASE; P<0.001), CHOLESTEROL (13 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE, P=0.006), TRIACYLGLYCEROL (22 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P=0.027), LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (6 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P=0.004), AND VERY-LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN LEVELS (4 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P=0.032). INCREASES IN HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN AFTER 120 DAYS WERE NOT SIGNIFICANT (6 MG/DL MEDIAN INCREASE; P=0.15). HOWEVER, WHEN COMPARED TO CHANGES OBSERVED IN PATIENTS IN THE CONTROL GROUP, ALL THESE IMPROVEMENTS PROVED TO BE SIGNIFICANT. CONCLUSION: ADMINISTRATION OF INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DIABETES LEADS TO A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN GLYCEMIC CONTROL, INSULIN RESISTANCE, AND KEY BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS. 2022 2 692 40 EFFECT OF COMMUNITY-BASED YOGA INTERVENTION ON OXIDATIVE STRESS AND GLYCEMIC PARAMETERS IN PREDIABETES: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. OBJECTIVES: TO STUDY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA INTERVENTION ON OXIDATIVE STRESS, GLYCEMIC STATUS, BLOOD PRESSURE AND ANTHROPOMETRY IN PREDIABETES. DESIGN: RANDOMIZED-CONTROLLED TRIAL. PARTICIPANTS: TWENTY NINE PREDIABETES SUBJECTS AGED 30-75 YEARS. SETTING: YOGA WAS CONDUCTED AT 4 DIFFERENT COMMUNITY DIABETES CLINICS IN MANGALORE, INDIA. INTERVENTIONS: PARTICIPANTS WERE RANDOMIZED TO EITHER 3-MONTH YOGA OR WAIT-LIST CONTROL GROUPS. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: MALONDIALDEHYDE, GLUTATHIONE, VITAMIN C, VITAMIN E, SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE, PLASMA GLUCOSE, GLYCATED HAEMOGLOBIN, BMI, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, WAIST-TO-HIP RATIO AND BLOOD PRESSURE. RESULTS: YOGA INTERVENTION RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN MALONDIALDEHYDE (P<0.001), RELATIVE TO THE CONTROL GROUP. IN COMPARISON WITH THE CONTROL, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN BMI, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE AND FASTING GLUCOSE LEVELS AT FOLLOW-UP. NO SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN GLYCATED HAEMOGLOBIN, WAIST-TO-HIP RATIO OR ANY OF THE ANTIOXIDANTS WAS OBSERVED. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA INTERVENTION MAY BE HELPFUL IN CONTROL OF OXIDATIVE STRESS IN PREDIABETES SUBJECTS. YOGA CAN ALSO BE BENEFICIAL IN REDUCTION IN BMI, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE AND FASTING GLUCOSE. EFFECT OF YOGA ON ANTIOXIDANT PARAMETERS WAS NOT EVIDENT IN THIS STUDY. THE FINDINGS OF THIS STUDY NEED TO BE CONFIRMED IN LARGER TRIALS INVOLVING ACTIVE CONTROL GROUPS. 2013 3 2153 28 THE EFFECTS OF SUDARSHAN KRIYA YOGA ON SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN MILD HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS. AN OPEN LABEL INTERVENTION STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN ON 26 MILD HYPERTENSIVES AND 26 APPARENTLY HEALTHY ADULTS (30-60 Y), FOR THE EFFECT OF SUDARSHAN KRIYA YOGA PRACTICE FOR TWO MONTHS AS COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY. IN THE HYPERTENSIVES, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (P < 0.01), SERUM UREA (P < 0.01) AND PLASMA MDA (MALONDIALDEHYDE ADDUCTS) AS OXIDATIVE STRESS MARKER (P < 0.05). OTHER PARAMETERS; VIZ.; PLASMA LEVELS OF CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDES, GLUCOSE, DID NOT CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY (P > 0.1). THE PATTERN OF CHANGE IN MOST OF THE STUDY PARAMETERS WAS SUCH THAT VALUES ABOVE NORMAL RANGE WERE LOWERED BUT VALUES WITHIN NORMAL RANGE WERE UNALTERED. THE ACTION OF YOGA ON DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, MALONDIALDEHYDE ADDUCTS AND KIDNEY FUNCTION IN HYPERTENSIVES WAS OF COUNTERACTIVE NATURE AND FELT TO BE DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE EFFECT OF DRUGS. 2011 4 1030 47 EFFECTS OF YOGA EXERCISE ON SERUM ADIPONECTIN AND METABOLIC SYNDROME FACTORS IN OBESE POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN. OBJECTIVE: REGULAR AND CONTINUOUS YOGA EXERCISE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT NONPHARMACOLOGICAL METHODS OF IMPROVING SERUM LIPID CONCENTRATIONS, ADIPOSE TISSUE, AND METABOLIC SYNDROME FACTORS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO ANALYZE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA EXERCISE ON SERUM ADIPONECTIN AND METABOLIC SYNDROME FACTORS IN OBESE POSTMENOPAUSAL KOREAN WOMEN. METHODS: SIXTEEN HEALTHY POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN AGED 54.50 +/- 2.75 YEARS WITH MORE THAN 36% BODY FAT WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO EITHER A YOGA EXERCISE GROUP (N = 8) OR TO A "NO EXERCISE" CONTROL GROUP (N = 8). THE VARIABLES OF BODY COMPOSITION, VISCERAL FAT, SERUM ADIPONECTIN, AND METABOLIC SYNDROME FACTORS WERE MEASURED IN ALL THE PARTICIPANTS BEFORE AND AFTER THE 16-WEEK STUDY. RESULTS: BODY WEIGHT, PERCENTAGE OF BODY FAT, LEAN BODY MASS, BODY MASS INDEX, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, AND VISCERAL FAT AREA HAD SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED. HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL AND ADIPONECTIN HAD SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED, BUT TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDE, LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL, BLOOD PRESSURE, INSULIN, GLUCOSE, AND HOMOEOSTASIS MODEL ASSESSMENT-INSULIN RESISTANCE HAD SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED. SERUM ADIPONECTIN CONCENTRATIONS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY CORRELATED WITH WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL, DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, AND HOMOEOSTASIS MODEL ASSESSMENT-INSULIN RESISTANCE IN THE POSTYOGA EXERCISE GROUP. CONCLUSIONS: OUR FINDINGS INDICATE THAT YOGA EXERCISE IMPROVES ADIPONECTIN LEVEL, SERUM LIPIDS, AND METABOLIC SYNDROME RISK FACTORS IN OBESE POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN. CONSEQUENTLY, YOGA EXERCISE WILL BE EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE CAUSED BY OBESITY IN OBESE POSTMENOPAUSAL KOREAN WOMEN. 2012 5 679 46 EFFECT OF A YOGA PROGRAM ON GLUCOSE METABOLISM AND BLOOD LIPID LEVELS IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS WITH POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME. OBJECTIVE: TO ASSESS THE EFFICACY OF YOGA THERAPY ON GLUCOSE METABOLISM AND BLOOD LIPID VALUES IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS WITH POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME (PCOS). METHODS: A PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMIZED, INTERVENTIONAL CONTROLLED TRIAL RECRUITED 90 ADOLESCENTS AGED BETWEEN 15 AND 18 YEARS WHO MET THE ROTTERDAM CRITERIA FOR PCOS. A YOGA GROUP PRACTICED SURYANAMASKARA, ASANAS, PRANAYAMA, AND MEDITATION 1 HOUR PER DAY EACH DAY FOR 12 WEEKS WHILE ANOTHER GROUP PRACTICED CONVENTIONAL PHYSICAL EXERCISES. THE MANN-WHITNEY U TEST WAS USED TO COMPARE SCORE CHANGES BETWEEN THE 2 GROUPS. RESULTS: THE CHANGES IN FASTING INSULIN, FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, AND HOMEOSTASIS MODEL ASSESSMENT OF INSULIN RESISTANCE WERE SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT IN THE 2 GROUPS (P<0.05). EXCEPT FOR HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL, THE CHANGES IN BLOOD LIPID VALUES WERE ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT (P<0.05). THE CHANGES IN BODY MASS INDEX, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, HIP CIRCUMFERENCE, AND WAIST-TO-HIP RATIO, HOWEVER, WERE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: YOGA WAS FOUND TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN CONVENTIONAL PHYSICAL EXERCISES IN IMPROVING GLUCOSE, LIPID, AND INSULIN VALUES, INCLUDING INSULIN RESISTANCE VALUES, IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS WITH PCOS INDEPENDENT OF ANTHROPOMETRIC CHANGES. CENTRAL TRIAL REGISTRY OF INDIA NO.: REFCTRI-2008 000291. 2012 6 300 30 AN ASSESSMENT OF A SEQUENCE OF YOGA EXERCISES TO PATIENTS WITH ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION. THIS QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY DESCRIBES THE EFFECTS OF A YOGA SEQUENCE FOLLOWING HEMODYNAMIC AND BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION. THIRTY-THREE VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY (CONTROL = 16 AND YOGA = 17) FOR FOUR MONTHS. BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS, CARDIAC AND RESPIRATORY RATE WERE COLLECTED MONTHLY, WHILE THE BIOCHEMICAL PROFILE WAS TAKEN AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE PROGRAM. TO ANALYZE THE DATA, STUDENT'S T TEST AND REPEATED MEASURES ANALYSES WERE PERFORMED. THE YOGA GROUP SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART AND RESPIRATORY RATE (P < 0.05). AS FOR THE BIOCHEMICAL PROFILE, THE YOGA GROUP SHOWED CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS BETWEEN INITIAL VALUES AND FINAL RESPONSES GREATER THAN THE CONTROL OF FASTING GLUCOSE, TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, LDL-CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDES. THE ELABORATED SEQUENCE PRACTICE PROMOTED SIGNIFICANT CARDIOVASCULAR AND METABOLIC BENEFITS. THE YOGA EXERCISES PERFORMED IN THE PROPOSED SEQUENCE CONSTITUTE COMPLEMENTARY NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL CONTROL OF BLOOD PRESSURE IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION. 2013 7 435 43 CARDIOPULMONARY AND METABOLIC EFFECTS OF YOGA IN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS. BACKGROUND: YOGA THE SPIRITUAL UNION OF MIND WITH THE DIVINE INTELLIGENCE OF THE UNIVERSE AIMS TO LIBERATE A HUMAN BEING FROM CONFLICTS OF BODY-MIND DUALITY. BENEFICIAL CARDIOVASCULAR AND PULMONARY EFFECTS OF YOGA ARE IN PAR WITH AEROBIC EXERCISE, EVEN AMOUNTING TO REPLACE THE EXERCISE MODEL. WE CONDUCTED AN INTERVENTIONAL STUDY IN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS, TO ANALYZE THE IMPACT OF SHORT-TERM YOGA TRAINING ON CARDIOVASCULAR, PULMONARY, AUTONOMIC FUNCTION TESTS, LIPID PROFILE, AND THYROID FUNCTION TESTS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A SAMPLE OF FIFTY NEW RECRUITS ATTENDING THE DISTRICT YOGA CENTER WAS SUBJECT TO 75 MIN YOGA PRACTICE A DAY FOR 41 DAYS. BASAL VALUES OF CARDIOVASCULAR, PULMONARY, AUTONOMIC FUNCTION TESTS, LIPID PROFILE, AND THYROID FUNCTION TESTS WERE RECORDED BEFORE YOGA TRAINING AND WERE REASSESSED FOR POSTYOGA CHANGES AFTER 41 DAYS. RESULTS: AFTER YOGA PRACTICE THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THE RESTING HEART RATE, SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, AND MEAN BLOOD PRESSURE OF THE PARTICIPANTS. EFFECTS ON AUTONOMIC FUNCTION TESTS WERE VARIABLE AND INCONCLUSIVE. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN FORCED VITAL CAPACITY, FORCED EXPIRATORY VOLUME IN 1 S, AND PEAK EXPIRATORY FLOW RATE AFTER YOGA. A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN BODY MASS INDEX WAS OBSERVED. EFFECTS ON METABOLIC PARAMETERS WERE PROMISING WITH A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN FASTING BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL, SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, SERUM TRIGLYCERIDES SERUM LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN LEVELS, AND SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN. THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THYROID FUNCTION TESTS AFTER YOGA. CONCLUSION: SHORT-TERM YOGA PRACTICE HAS NO EFFECT ON THYROID FUNCTIONS. YOGA PRACTICE WAS FOUND BENEFICIAL IN MAINTAINING PHYSIOLOGICAL MILIEU PERTAINING TO CARDIOVASCULAR AND OTHER METABOLIC PARAMETERS. 2017 8 1453 45 INFLUENCE OF PRANAYAMAS AND YOGA-ASANAS ON SERUM INSULIN, BLOOD GLUCOSE AND LIPID PROFILE IN TYPE 2 DIABETES. A DISTINGUISHABLE FEATURE OF TYPE 2 DIABETES BESIDES HYPERGLYCEMIA AND DERANGED LIPID PROFILE IS AN IMPAIRED INSULIN SECRETION, PERIPHERAL INSULIN RESISTANCE AND OBESITY WHICH HAS BECOME A MAJOR HEALTH CONCERN WORLDWIDE. INDIA WITH AN ESTIMATED 31MILLION DIABETICS IN 2000 AND 79MLLIONS BY THE YR 2030 HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF TYPE 2 DIABETICS IN THE WORLD. IN THIS STUDY, WE AIMED TO SEE IF YOGA-ASANAS AND PRANAYAMAS HAVE ANY INFLUENCE IN MODIFYING CERTAIN BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS. SIXTY PATIENTS OF UNCOMPLICATED TYPE 2 DIABETES (AGE 35-60 YRS OF 1-10 YRS DURATION) WERE DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS: GROUP 1 (N=30): PERFORMED YOGA ALONG WITH THE CONVENTIONAL HYPOGLYCEMIC MEDICINES AND GROUP 2 (N=30): PATIENTS WHO ONLY RECEIVED CONVENTIONAL MEDICINES. DURATION OF THE STUDY WAS 45 DAYS. BASAL RECORDINGS OF BLOOD GLUCOSE (FASTING AND POST-PRANDIAL), LIPID PROFILE AND SERUM INSULIN WERE TAKEN AT THE TIME OF RECRUITMENT AND THE SECOND READING AFTER FORTY FIVE DAYS. RESULTS SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN ALL THE BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN GROUP 1 WHILE GROUP 2 SHOWED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN ONLY FEW PARAMETERS, THUS SUGGESTING A BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF YOGA REGIMEN ON THESE PARAMETERS IN DIABETIC PATIENTS. 2008 9 324 42 ANTHROPOMETRIC, BIOCHEMICAL AND CLINICAL PARAMETERS IN CLIMACTERIC YOGA PRACTITIONERS. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY AIMED TO EVALUATE ANTHROPOMETRIC, BIOCHEMICAL AND CLINICAL PARAMETERS IN CLIMACTERIC YOGA PRACTITIONERS. METHODS: THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED 108 CLIMACTERIC WOMEN. WE RECRUITED 28 WOMEN BETWEEN 40 AND 65 YEARS OLD WHO STARTED YOGA PRACTICES IN PREMENOPAUSE AND HAD ALREADY PRACTICED FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS. AS CONTROLS, WE SELECTED 30 PHYSICAL ACTIVITY (PA) PRACTITIONERS WHO HAD PRACTICED FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS AND 50 SEDENTARY WOMEN IN THE SAME AGE RANGE. WE CONDUCED ANTHROPOMETRIC, BIOCHEMICAL AND BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS. RESULTS: THE YOGA GROUP HAD SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE THAN THE PA PRACTITIONERS AND SEDENTARY WOMEN. YOGA PRACTITIONERS ALSO HAD LOWER WEIGHT, BODY MASS INDEX, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, BODY FAT PERCENTAGE AND WAIST-TO-HEIGHT RATIO; HIGHER LEVELS OF HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL; LOWER LEVELS OF TRIGLYCERIDES, INSULIN, HOMEOSTASIS MODEL ASSESSMENT OF INSULIN RESISTANCE, URIC ACID, APOLIPOPROTEIN B AND HIGH-SENSITIVITY C-REACTIVE PROTEIN; AND LOWER FREQUENCY OF METABOLIC SYNDROME, LIPID ACCUMULATION PRODUCT, VISCERAL ADIPOSITY INDEX AND SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE THAN THE SEDENTARY WOMEN. CONCLUSION: YOGA PRACTITIONERS HAD LOWER GLUCOSE SERUM CONCENTRATIONS THAN THE PA PRACTITIONERS AND SEDENTARY WOMEN. OVERALL, THE YOGA GROUP ALSO HAD BETTER ANTHROPOMETRIC, BIOCHEMICAL AND CLINICAL VARIABLES THAN THE OTHER GROUPS. ALTHOUGH FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS REQUIRED, YOGA PRACTICE IN PREMENOPAUSE SEEMS TO BE BENEFICIAL FOR WOMEN WHEN THEY REACH MENOPAUSE. 2022 10 2145 32 THE EFFECTS OF MINDFULNESS EATING AND YOGA EXERCISE ON BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS OF PREGNANT WOMEN WITH GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS. AIM: THIS RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL WAS CARRIED OUT TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECT OF MINDFULNESS EATING AND YOGA EXERCISE ON BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS AMONG PREGNANT THAI WOMEN WITH GDM. BACKGROUND: INTERVENTIONS PROMOTING ACHIEVEMENT OF GOOD GLYCEMIC CONTROL RESULT IN DESIRED PREGNANCY OUTCOMES. LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF MINDFULNESS EATING AND YOGA EXERCISE ON BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS AMONG PREGNANT WITH GDM. METHODS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL WAS CARRIED OUT. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES WERE CAPILLARY FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE, 2-H POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE, AND HEMOGLOBIN A1C. RESULTS: THE INTERVENTION GROUP SHOWED SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE, 2-H POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE, AND GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN (HBA1C) IN THE INTERVENTION GROUP (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MINDFULNESS EATING AND YOGA EXERCISE HAD HEALTH BENEFITS ON GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN PREGNANT WOMEN WITH GDM. IT SHOULD BE RECOMMENDED IN CLINICAL AND COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES. 2014 11 2463 53 YOGA AS A THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. PURPOSE: THIS STUDY AIMED TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTS OF 12 WEEKS YOGIC INTERVENTION ON BLOOD SUGAR AND LIPID PROFILE IN ELDER WOMEN WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: TWENTY ELDERLY (AGE RANGE 55-70 YEARS) T2DM WOMEN WERE DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS, NAMELY, YOGIC INTERVENTION GROUP (YIG: N = 10, AGE 64.70 +/- 4.03, BODY MASS INDEX [BMI] 24.26 +/- 3.40) AND CONTROL GROUP (CG: N = 10, AGE 64.40 +/- 4.79, BMI 24.28 +/- 2.36). YIG UNDERWENT YOGA PRACTICE (ASANAS, KRIYAS, PRANAYAMAS) FOR 12 WEEKS (3 SESSIONS/WEEK), WHILE THE CG CONTINUED THEIR USUAL ROUTINE ACTIVITIES. STANDING HEIGHT, BODY WEIGHT, BMI, BLOOD SUGAR, AND LIPID PROFILE WERE MEASURED BEFORE COMMENCEMENT AND AFTER 6 AND 12 WEEKS OF YOGIC INTERVENTION IN BOTH GROUPS. RESULTS: THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT (P < 0.01) DECREASE IN FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE, POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD SUGAR, TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDES, LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN, AND VERY LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN, WITH A SIGNIFICANT (P < 0.01) INCREASE IN HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN LEVEL FROM ITS INITIAL VALUE IN YIG, WHILE SHOWING INSIGNIFICANT RESULT IN CG. CONCLUSION: IT CAN BE SAID THAT YOGIC INTERVENTION MAY HAVE THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON BLOOD SUGAR AND LIPID PROFILE IN ELDERLY WOMEN WITH T2DM. 2018 12 274 37 ADDITIONAL BENEFIT OF YOGA TO STANDARD LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION ON BLOOD PRESSURE IN PREHYPERTENSIVE SUBJECTS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE (BP) IS A KNOWN RISK FACTOR FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE MORBIDITY. CONSIDERING THE GROWING EVIDENCE OF NONPHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HIGH BP, WE DESIGNED A RANDOMIZED, PARALLEL ACTIVE-CONTROLLED STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF YOGA AND STANDARD LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION (LSM) ON BP AND HEART RATE IN INDIVIDUALS WITH PREHYPERTENSION (SYSTOLIC BP 120-139 MM HG AND/OR DIASTOLIC BP 80-89 MM HG). VOLUNTEERS (20-60 YEARS) OF BOTH GENDERS WITHOUT ANY KNOWN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE WERE RANDOMIZED INTO EITHER LSM GROUP (N = 92) OR LSM+YOGA GROUP (N = 92). BEFORE THE INTERVENTION, AGE, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, BP AND FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE AND LIPIDS WERE COMPARABLE BETWEEN THE GROUPS. AFTER 12 WEEKS OF INTERVENTION, WE OBSERVED A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THE BP AND HEART RATE IN BOTH THE GROUPS. FURTHER, THE REDUCTION IN SYSTOLIC BP WAS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE IN LSM+YOGA GROUP (6 MM HG) AS COMPARED WITH LSM GROUP (4 MM HG). IN ADDITION, 13 PREHYPERTENSIVES BECAME NORMOTENSIVES IN LSM+YOGA GROUP AND FOUR IN LSM GROUP. THE RESULTS INDICATE EFFICACY OF NONPHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTION AND THE ADDITIONAL BENEFIT OF YOGA TO STANDARD LSM. FURTHER RESEARCH IN THIS FIELD MAY ADD TO THE LEVEL OF EVIDENCE ON THE BENEFIT OF YOGA, IN THE REDUCTION OF BP IN HIGH BP SUBJECTS, IN THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE. 2015 13 1933 44 ROLE OF YOGA IN MODIFYING CERTAIN CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTIONS IN TYPE 2 DIABETIC PATIENTS. OBJECTIVES: 1. TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF FORTY DAYS OF YOGIC EXERCISES ON CARDIAC FUNCTIONS IN TYPE 2 DIABETICS. 2. TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF FORTY DAYS OF YOGIC EXERCISES ON BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVEL, GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN. METHODS: THE PRESENT STUDY DONE IN TWENTY-FOUR TYPE 2 DM CASES PROVIDES METABOLIC AND CLINICAL EVIDENCE OF IMPROVEMENT IN GLYCAEMIC CONTROL AND AUTONOMIC FUNCTIONS. THESE MIDDLE-AGED SUBJECTS WERE TYPE II DIABETICS ON ANTIHYPERGLYCAEMIC AND DIETARY REGIMEN. THEIR BASELINE FASTING AND POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE AND GLYCOSYLATED HB WERE MONITORED ALONG WITH AUTONOMIC FUNCTION STUDIES. THE EXPERT GAVE THESE PATIENTS TRAINING IN YOGA ASANAS AND THEY PURSUED THOSE 30-40 MIN/DAY FOR 40 DAYS UNDER GUIDANCE. THESE ASANAS CONSISTED OF 13 WELL KNOWN POSTURES, DONE IN A SEQUENCE. AFTER 40 DAYS OF YOGA ASANAS REGIMEN, THE PARAMETERS WERE REPEATED. RESULTS: THE RESULTS INDICATE THAT THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS FROM BASAL 190.08 +/- 18.54 IN MG/DL TO 141.5 +/- 16.3 IN MG/DL AFTER YOGA REGIMEN. THE POST PRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS DECREASED FROM 276.54 +/- 20.62 IN MG/DL TO 201.75 +/- 21.24 IN MG/DL, GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN SHOWED A DECREASE FROM 9.03 +/- 0.29% TO 7.83 +/- 0.53% AFTER YOGA REGIMEN. THE PULSE RATE, SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY (FROM 86.45 +/- 2.0 TO 77.65 +/- 2.5 PULSE/MIN, FROM 142.0 +/- 3.9 TO 126.0 +/- 3.2 MM OF HG AND FROM 86.7 +/- 2.5 MM OF HG TO 75.5 +/- 2.1 MM OF HG AFTER YOGA REGIMEN RESPECTIVELY). CORRECTED QT INTERVAL (QTC) DECREASED FROM 0.42 +/- 0.0 TO 0.40 +/- 0.0. CONCLUSION: THESE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT BETTER GLYCAEMIC CONTROL AND STABLE AUTONOMIC FUNCTIONS CAN BE OBTAINED IN TYPE 2 DM CASES WITH YOGA ASANAS AND PRANAYAMA. THE EXACT MECHANISM AS TO HOW THESE POSTURES AND CONTROLLED BREATHING INTERACT WITH SOMATO-NEURO-ENDOCRINE MECHANISM AFFECTING METABOLIC AND AUTONOMIC FUNCTIONS REMAINS TO BE WORKED OUT. 2004 14 913 44 EFFECTIVENESS OF LIQUID FASTING WITH YOGA AND NATUROPATHY TREATMENTS IN REDUCING METABOLIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISKS IN OBESITY. CONTEXT: OBESITY IS ASSOCIATED WITH CHRONIC DISEASES, INCLUDING METABOLIC SYNDROME AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES (CVDS). FASTING IS COMMONLY EMPLOYED BY OBESE PEOPLE TO REDUCE THEIR WEIGHT. LIKEWISE, YOGA AND NATUROPATHY (YN) THAT INCLUDE LIQUID FASTING (LF) HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE BENEFICIAL IN REDUCING WEIGHT FOR PEOPLE WITH METABOLIC DISORDERS. HOWEVER, THE SAFETY OF LF DURING YN TREATMENTS AND ITS EFFECTS ON METABOLIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS HAVEN'T YET BEEN REPORTED. OBJECTIVE: THE STUDY INTENDED TO EVALUATE THE SAFETY OF LF DURING YN TREATMENTS AND ITS EFFECTS ON METABOLIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS IN PEOPLE WITH OBESITY. DESIGN: A SINGLE-GROUP, PRETEST-AND-POSTTEST DESIGN WAS ADOPTED FOR THE STUDY. SETTING: THE STUDY TOOK PLACE IN A YN HOSPITAL LOCATED IN SOUTH INDIA. PARTICIPANTS: PARTICIPANTS WERE 176 OBESE PEOPLE AGED BETWEEN 18 AND 65 YEARS. INTERVENTION: TOGETHER WITH YN TREATMENTS, ALL PARTICIPANTS UNDERWENT LF USING LIME JUICE WITH JAGGERY, ASH GUARD JUICE, VEGETABLE SOUP, BUTTERMILK, AND KOKUM JUICE FOR A PERIOD OF 5 CONSECUTIVE DAYS. OUTCOME MEASURES: ASSESSMENTS SUCH AS BODY WEIGHT, BODY MASS INDEX (BMI), FAT MASS, LIPID PROFILE, AND BLOOD PRESSURE WERE TAKEN AT BASELINE AND POSTINTERVENTION. RESULTS: PARTICIPANTS SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN BODY WEIGHT, BMI, FAT MASS, TRIGLYCERIDES (TG), TOTAL CHOLESTEROL (TC), LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL (LDL-C), VERY-LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL (VLDL-C), HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL (HDL-C), SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (SBP), AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (DBP). CONCLUSIONS: THE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT LF DURING YN TREATMENT CANBE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING METABOLIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS IN PEOPLE WITH OBESITY. 2021 15 812 40 EFFECT OF YOGA ON CARDIAC AUTONOMIC DYSFUNCTION AND INSULIN RESISTANCE IN NON-DIABETIC OFFSPRING OF TYPE-2-DIABETES PARENTS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY. OBJECTIVE: THE PRESENT STUDY WAS AIMED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF YOGA PROGRAM ON CARDIAC AUTONOMIC DYSFUNCTION AND INSULIN RESISTANCE IN NON-DIABETIC OFFSPRING OF DIABETES PARENTS. METHODS: A RANDOMIZED PASSIVE-CONTROLLED STUDY WAS CONDUCTED ON 64 NON-DIABETIC OFFSPRING OF TYPE-2-DIABETES PARENTS (MEAN-AGE:25.17YEARS). YOGA GROUP PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED YOGA TRAINING FOR 8 WEEKS. HEART-RATE VARIABILITY (HRV) INDICES: LOW FREQUENCY (LF), HIGH FREQUENCY (HF) AND LF/HF RATIO; FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE (FBG), ORAL GLUCOSE TOLERANCE TEST (OGTT) AND INSULIN RESISTANCE (IR) WERE ESTIMATED AT BASELINE AND AFTER 8-WEEKS OF INTERVENTION. RESULTS: WE FOUND A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN LF (P=0.005), LF/HF RATIO (P=0.004), IR (P<0.001), OGTT (P=0.003) AND INCREASE IN HF (P=0.022) IN YOGA GROUP PARTICIPANTS. CONTROL GROUP PARTICIPANTS DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN ANY VARIABLES. CONCLUSIONS: IMPROVEMENT IN CARDIAC AUTONOMIC FUNCTION AND INSULIN RESISTANCE BY YOGA TRAINING IMPLIES THAT YOGA CAN REDUCE THE RISK OF DEVELOPMENT OF DIABETES IN OFFSPRING OF DIABETES PARENTS. 2019 16 873 36 EFFECT OF YOGA THERAPY ON HEART RATE, BLOOD PRESSURE AND CARDIAC AUTONOMIC FUNCTION IN HEART FAILURE. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT A HALL MARK OF HEART FAILURE IS ADVERSE CHANGES IN AUTONOMIC FUNCTION. ELEVATED BLOOD PRESSURE IS A POWERFUL PREDICTOR OF CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE AND OTHER CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE (CVD) OUTCOMES. IN THIS STUDY, WE PLANNED TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF A 12 WEEK YOGA THERAPY ON BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART RATE, HEART RATE VARIABILITY, AND RATE PRESSURE PRODUCT (RPP). METHODS: OUT OF 130 HEART FAILURE PATIENTS RECRUITED FOR THE STUDY, 65 PATIENTS WERE RANDOMLY SELECTED TO RECEIVE 12 WEEK YOGA THERAPY ALONG WITH STANDARD MEDICAL THERAPY (YOGA GROUP). OTHER PATIENTS (N=65) RECEIVED ONLY STANDARD MEDICAL THERAPY (CONTROL GROUP). HEART RATE, BLOOD PRESSURE, CARDIAC AUTONOMIC FUNCTION (BY SHORT-TERM HEART-RATE VARIABILITY ANALYSIS) AND MYOCARDIAL OXYGEN CONSUMPTION (BY RPP) WERE ASSESSED BEFORE AND AFTER 12 WEEKS. IN THE YOGA GROUP, 44 PATIENTS AND IN THE CONTROL GROUP, 48 PATIENTS COMPLETED THE STUDY. RESULTS: THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN HEART RATE, BLOOD PRESSURE AND RPP IN YOGA GROUP COMPARED TO CONTROL GROUP. ALSO, LFNU AND LF-HF RATIO DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY AND HFNU INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN YOGA GROUP COMPARED TO CONTROL GROUP. CONCLUSION: TWELVE-WEEK YOGA THERAPY SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED THE PARASYMPATHETIC ACTIVITY AND DECREASED THE SYMPATHETIC ACTIVITY IN HEART FAILURE PATIENTS (NYHA I&II). 2014 17 739 36 EFFECT OF RAJA YOGA MEDITATION ON THE LIPID PROFILE OF POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. BACKGROUND: CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE IS AN IMPORTANT CAUSE OF DEATH AND DISABILITY AMONG OLDER WOMEN. MODIFICATION IN LIPID PROFILE LOWERS THE RISK OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE. IT IS CLAIMED THAT YOGA AND TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION HAVE A CHOLESTEROL LOWERING EFFECT. THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO ASSESS THE EFFECT OF RAJA YOGA MEDITATION OF BRAHMAKUMARIS WHICH IS VERY SIMPLE TO PRACTICE, ON SERUM LIPIDS IN NORMAL INDIAN WOMEN. METHODS AND RESULTS: 49 NORMAL FEMALE VOLUNTEERS WERE THE SUBJECTS. THEY WERE DIVIDED INTO PRE-MENOPAUSAL (N=23) AND POST-MENOPAUSAL (N=26) GROUPS. THEY WERE FURTHER DIVIDED INTO NON-MEDITATORS (WHO HAD NEVER DONE ANY KIND OF MEDITATION), SHORT-TERM MEDITATORS (MEDITATING FOR 6 MONTHS TO 5 YEARS) AND LONG-TERM MEDITATORS (MEDITATING FOR MORE THAN 5 YEARS). LIPID PROFILE WAS ASSESSED USING THEIR RESPECTIVE REAGENT SETS. SERUM CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDE AND LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN-CHOLESTEROL IN NONMEDITATORS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE IN POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN AS COMPARED TO PRE-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. SERUM CHOLESTEROL AND LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN-CHOLESTEROL WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWERED IN BOTH SHORT AND LONG TERM MEDITATORS AS COMPARED TO NON-MEDITATORS IN POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE WAS OBSERVED IN LIPID PROFILE IN PRE-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. CONCLUSION: RAJA YOGA MEDITATION LOWERED SERUM CHOLESTEROL AND LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN-CHOLESTEROL IN POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN THUS REDUCING THE RISK OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE IN THEM. 2008 18 1116 41 EFFICACY OF A VALIDATED YOGA PROTOCOL ON DYSLIPIDEMIA IN DIABETES PATIENTS: NMB-2017 INDIA TRIAL. BACKGROUND: DYSLIPIDEMIA IS CONSIDERED A RISK FACTOR IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM) RESULTING IN CARDIO-VASCULAR COMPLICATIONS. YOGA PRACTICES HAVE SHOWN PROMISING RESULTS IN ALLEVIATING TYPE 2 DIABETES PATHOLOGY. METHOD: IN THIS STRATIFIED TRIAL ON A YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE PROGRAM IN CASES WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES, IN THE RURAL AND URBAN POPULATION FROM ALL ZONES OF INDIA, A TOTAL OF 17,012 ADULTS (>20 YEARS) OF BOTH GENDERS WERE SCREENED FOR LIPID PROFILE AND SUGAR LEVELS. THOSE WHO SATISFIED THE SELECTION CRITERIA WERE TAUGHT THE DIABETES YOGA PROTOCOL (DYP) FOR THREE MONTHS AND THE DATA WERE ANALYZED. RESULTS: AMONG THOSE WITH DIABETES, 29.1% HAD ELEVATED TOTAL CHOLESTEROL (TC > 200 MG/DL) LEVELS THAT WERE HIGHER IN URBAN (69%) THAN RURAL (31%) DIABETES PATIENTS. THERE WAS A POSITIVE CORRELATION (P = 0.048) BETWEEN HBA1C AND TOTAL CHOLESTEROL LEVELS. DYP INTERVENTION HELPED IN REDUCING TC FROM 232.34 +/- 31.48 MG/DL TO 189.38 +/- 40.23 MG/DL WITH SIGNIFICANT PRE POST DIFFERENCE (P < 0.001). CONVERSION RATE FROM HIGH TC (>200 MG/DL) TO NORMAL TC (<200 MG/DL) WAS OBSERVED IN 60.3% OF CASES WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM); FROM HIGH LDL (>130 MG/DL) TO NORMAL LDL (<130 MG/DL) IN 73.7%; FROM HIGH TRIGLYCERIDE (>200 MG/DL) TO NORMAL TRIGLYCERIDE LEVEL (<200 MG/DL) IN 63%; FROM LOW HDL (<45 MG/DL) TO NORMAL HDL (>45 MG/DL) IN 43.7% OF T2DM PATIENTS AFTER THREE MONTHS OF DYP. CONCLUSIONS: A YOGA LIFESTYLE PROGRAM DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO MANAGE DIABETES HELPS IN REDUCING THE CO-MORBIDITY OF DYSLIPIDEMIA IN CASES OF PATIENTS WITH T2DM. 2019 19 1104 44 EFFECTS OF YOGA VERSUS SHAM YOGA ON OXIDATIVE STRESS, GLYCEMIC STATUS, AND ANTHROPOMETRY IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS: A SINGLE-BLINDED RANDOMIZED PILOT STUDY. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN A BENEFICIAL ROLE OF YOGA IN TRE A T I N G TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. THE PRESENT STUDY PROCEEDS IN THE FIELD BY PROVIDING AN ACTIVE CONTROL. WE AIMED TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF 3 MONTHS OF YOGA ON OXIDATIVE STRESS, GLYCEMIC STATUS, AND ANTHROPOMETRY IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. FORTY PARTICIPANTS WERE RANDOMIZED TO RECEIVE EITHER YOGA (N = 20) OR SHAM YOGA (N = 20) AS A CONTROL. YOGA INCLUDED POSTURES AND BREATHING EXERCISES, AND NONAEROBIC STRETCHING EXERCISE COMPRISED THE CONTROL. SIGNIFICANT WITHIN-GROUP DIFFERENCES IN MALONDIALDEHYDE, VITAMIN C, SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE, FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN, BODY MASS INDEX, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, AND BLOOD PRESSURE WERE EVIDENT IN BOTH GROUPS. YOGA PARTICIPANTS HAD SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER IMPROVEMENT IN REDUCED GLUTATHIONE COMPARED TO CONTROLS. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GROUPS WERE OBSERVED IN ANY OTHER OUTCOME VARIABLES. YOGA AND SHAM YOGA HAD IDENTICAL EFFECTS ON OXIDATIVE STRESS, GLYCEMIC STATUS, AND ANTHROPOMETRY IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. LEVELS OF REDUCED GLUTATHIONE IMPROVED ONLY IN THE YOGA GROUP. THIS RESEARCH NEEDS TO BE CONFIRMED BY LARGER AND SUFFICIENTLY POWERED STUDIES. 2020 20 938 43 EFFECTS OF 1-YEAR YOGA ON CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME: A RANDOMIZED TRIAL. BACKGROUND: METABOLIC SYNDROME (METS) IS A CLUSTERING OF CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS, WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH DIABETES MELLITUS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS APPLIED TO PEOPLE WITH METS HAS CONSIDERABLE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON DISEASE PREVENTIVE OUTCOMES. THIS STUDY AIMED TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF 1-YEAR OF YOGA EXERCISE ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS INCLUDING CENTRAL OBESITY, HYPERTENSION, DYSLIPIDEMIA AND HYPERGLYCEMIA IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER HONG KONG CHINESE ADULTS WITH METS. METHODS: ADULTS DIAGNOSED WITH METS USING NATIONAL CHOLESTEROL EDUCATION PROGRAM CRITERIA (N = 182; MEAN +/- SD AGE = 56 +/- 9.1) WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO A 1-YEAR YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP OR CONTROL GROUP. SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE, TRIGLYCERIDES, AND HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL WERE EXAMINED AT BASELINE, MIDWAY, AND ON COMPLETION OF THE STUDY. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVEL AND CALORIC INTAKE WERE ASSESSED AND INCLUDED IN THE COVARIATE ANALYSES. RESULTS: A REDUCTION OF THE NUMBER OF DIAGNOSTIC COMPONENTS FOR METS WAS FOUND TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE YOGA INTERVENTION. WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED AFTER THE 1-YEAR YOGA INTERVENTION. A TREND TOWARDS A DECREASE IN SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE WAS OBSERVED FOLLOWING YOGA INTERVENTION. CONCLUSION: THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT YOGA EXERCISE IMPROVES THE CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS INCLUDING CENTRAL OBESITY AND BLOOD PRESSURE IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS WITH METS. THESE FINDINGS SUPPORT THE COMPLEMENTARY BENEFICIAL ROLE OF YOGA IN MANAGING METS. 2015